Bibliometric methods are more and more used in order to analyze developments and trends in science and technology. The decisions of research policy and management often have sweeping consequences. The usage of data as well as the construction and interpretation of indicators requires expert knowledge, which is only accessible to a small number of stakeholders, also because there is a lack of opportunities to develop professional qualifications in this field.

As a reaction to this missing qualification opportunities in bibliometrics (especially in Germany) and the growing demand, the University of Vienna, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ) and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) agreed upon the establishment of the joint European Summer School for Scientometrics (esss).The venue of the esss changes annually and takes place either in Berlin, Vienna or Leuven. The Competence Centre for Bibliometrics takes part via the iFQ and provides lecturers and trainers.

The esss offers training and instruction for important aspects of quantitative science and technology research. The focus is nevertheless on Bibliometrics. Relevant aspects of patent analysis will be treated as well. The theoretical training will be complemented by practical exercises. The intention is that participants become accustomed to the commonly used databases and learn how to construct indicators and to interpret the results.

The esss is especially designed for the needs of decision makers in research policy and management, scientists and librarians. The esss is open to all those who are interested, in Europe and beyond.

Single modules can be attended separately. In the medium term it is intended that attendance will be credited with ECTS points.

The esss is led by a steering committee:

• Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Glänzel, KU Leuven
• Prof. Dr. Koenraad Debackere, KU Leuven
• Prof. Dr. Stefan Hornbostel, HU Berlin, iFQ
• Dr. Sybille Hinze, iFQ  
• Dr. Juan Gorraiz, University of Vienna
• Dr. Christian Gumpenberger, University of Vienna

The office of the esss is located at the University of Vienna:

esss European Summer School for Scientometrics
Boltzmanngasse 5
A-1090 Vienna Austria
T: +43-1-4277-276 19
F: +43-1-4277-9 276
office@scientometrics-school.eu

Updated information can be found on the website of the esss: http://www.scientometrics-school.eu/

esss 2010, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 16th-18th June 2010
The inauguration of the esss took place on the June 16th 2010 in Berlin. Thematic modules on the one hand dealt with journal impact measures and aggregated indicators on the other hand with performance indicators for the evaluation of individual research performance such as Hirsch type indicators. Presentations about the theoretical background were accompanied by the practical exercises on both days and modules.
A short report on the esss 2010 was published on Scientometrics.
For further information regarding esss 2010 please visit the archive of the esss website.

esss 2011, University Vienna, 12th-16th October 2011
The second esss was again a huge success. The conference gave an overview on the various bibliometric topics and was attended by 120 participants. The more practically oriented workshops on the other days were attended by 50 participants and were fully booked. The workshops dealt – amongst other topics – with the measurement of journal impact, h-Index and related measures, cooperation and network analysis as well as research evaluation. For further information please visit the esss website.